Not Your Grandfather's Sailboat Race: The 35th annual America's Cup races into the Big Apple's New York Harbor this weekend. But the high-flying sailing event isn't your grandfather's boat race. (Courtesy of Bremont )
Technology Propels America's Cup into 21st Centruy.
Oracle Team USA Skipper James Spithill told FOXBusiness.com technology has vastly improved the way these athletes sail waters all over the world in the three-year America's Cup competition.
"This is the latest and greatest," he said. "The boats are built like spacecraft with complicated methods and designed by computational computer codes. It's really the next level."
(Courtesy of Bremont )
Team Oracle USA: Ready to Defend
The team snatched victory in the 2013 competition, and seeks to defend its championship title in one of six 2016 races. Preparation has been underway for months, and Spithill said with this series, time has been tight. "Each team is allowed to access the boat for practice on Thursday and Friday for about an hour each time, then there are three races on Saturday and Sunday each. All the teams are the same, and it will come down to the team that can make the fewest mistakes," he said. (Courtesy of Bremont )
Team Oracle USA Skippered by James Spithill
The America's Cup comes to New York this weekend for the first time since 1920. Spithill said everyone in the competition has looked forward to the venue. "You can't get a better city than New York," he said. "The history, what's gone on here with the World Trade Center, it means a lot to be racing here...There's a certain kind of energy here. The atmoshere is awesome and we're fortunate to race in this location." (Courtesy of Bremont )
Oracle CEO Larry Ellison Helps Defend World Title
The investment, both in terms of time and dollars, to create a wining America's Cup team is far from simple. Back in 2013, the Wall Street Journal reported Ellison spent $115 million to defend his team's title. In addition to plenty of green, Spithill said the personal investment is substantial. "It takes a huge amount of time. You spend a heap of time developing and testing for the final race in June 2017. Demand is seven days a week. It's a big sacrifice, but to come together as a large team is rewarding at the same time," he said. (Courtesy of Bremont )
Brenmont Joins Oracle Team USA as Official Timing Partner
The British watch company teamed up with Oracle Team USA as the official timing partner for the team. Bremont CEO Nick English told FOXBusiness.com it's been an exciting time to work with Ellison and his championship team. "They have to wear those watches, use them, bash them around...we take it very seriously. It's very much a partnership. They're just as keen to see us succeed as we are them...You have to pinch yourself because you're dealing with the creme de la creme of the sailing world. All that passion: These guys have loads of it." (Courtesy of Bremont )
Guts, Determination, and Dollars
Just as the racing team pours hours upon hours of training into their preparation, English said the prep work for his comapny was significant. But the return on that investment, and the opportunity to participatie in the America's Cup, makes it all worthwhile. "This is the holy grail of sailing. Being associated with Oracle does have an impact and its a great position for a brand like us. It does work well on the watch-sales level, but also a brand image opportunitity. To have these boats zooming on the Hudson River to the Statue of Liberty, it's wonderful imagry," he said. (Courtesy of Bremont )
Teams Set Sail Saturday May 7 in New York Harbor
The America's Cup competition kicks off Saturday at 2:00 p.m. with the first three of six races, and continues Sunday at the same time with the final three races. To participate in the New York event, Spithill said means a lot, and he hopes bringing the competition to such a big venue will help change Americans' perception of the sport. "There's this perception that [we] are elitist, not atletic. But that couldn't be further from the truth. There's a lot of risk, we go full throttle...we're proud to be in Manhattan. They never thought about the Hudson River as a stadium....but with this we can get many people watching and they can come for free." (Courtesy of Bremont )